Twist of Fate
by dinger
Summary: Never take a nonpaying job for the friend of a friend. You never know where it might lead...
1. Chapter 1

Thank you TV Land/Sleuth Channel for bringing back our favorite old shows, especially the brothers! It's been too long!

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the boys for the enjoyment of fiction readers. Alas, I do not own any right to the characters from "Simon and Simon". Wish I did, but I don't. This is just for fun...

Feedback: I'm a junkie, but this is for your enjoyment!

Title: Twist of Fate.

I have seen a million things in my life, and I've never quite experienced anything like these guys.

My dad left for the war one day, promising he would come back, but he never did. I was twelve. My mom tried. She really did. But I was headstrong and heartbroken. And so was she. We butted heads all the time. She was so sad, not knowing how dad had died, not having his body or a gravestone. She never could really mourn. I understand that now. I didn't then. I just felt out of control and didn't know how to help anyone, let alone myself. I realize now it was just a part of growing up. Hormones and all that, but I never got to tell her that I was sorry. For the short time she had left on this earth, I made her life a living hell.

I've been paying for it ever since. When mom died, caring people from a local office tried to put me in a foster home, but I ran. One more statistic on the books. I was 16 at the time, but I looked older, acted older. When you lose everyone you love, you tend to grow up quick. I worked where I could, walked a great deal. I found it healing. When I was 18, I went back and collected my inheritance. It was more than I was used to living on. I felt the presence of my mom then. It was weird. I put it all in a national bank, hopped a bus and headed west.

That was over a decade ago. I was working in a bar when I first met them. One was tall, really tall, dark hair and looked like he belonged with the macho jerks that tended to hang out here in the daytime. Boy did he have the attitude with the guys they were with! The other was blond, preppy, and the exact opposite of his friend. He looked like he belonged with the college crowd that I saw sometimes when I took classes. Or maybe a professional organization. But he had an attitude too when he wanted it! I didn't think much of it at time, other than the fact that they were surprisingly nice to me. Most men were jerks and didn't know when to back off when I wanted them to.

It's my body. I didn't ask for it, I don't work on it, and I certainly don't use it like some of the other bimbo's around here. But, my legs are firm from all the walking I do, my blond hair highlights well with the sun's influence. And my other parts? Well, let's just say God was good. Not overly generous, just good. What a pain! I have a hard time getting anyone to take me seriously. That's why I went back to school. I do not want to spend the rest of my life being looked at like a empty headed piece of cute flesh. I guess that's mom's influence again…

I was finishing up and had clocked out when the fight broke out. Ah, poor Darrell. One more claim on his insurance and his goose was cooked. But I was not going to stay. I learned young to stay away from fights and such. They tend to land you in jail and I did not want to have anything to do with that side of the law. Mom wouldn't want that for me. So I left.

I went quickly to my car. A blue Honda Civic that I had bought from a foolish girlfriend who had bought a new car that she could not afford. She was in upside down and was fighting repossession. So she sold it for a song. What a deal! The car was not sexy, but comfortable, with a big back seat and a trunk to boot. It got me to where I wanted to go. It had taken awhile for me to get used to the manual transmission, but once I had, wow, what fun! I loved to just drive for awhile after rolling down the windows. I was doing just that to the passenger window when the car shook violently, and a body slid across the hood and fell on the other side of the car. I don't think I screamed, but he scared the living daylights out of me! I did scream when the back window was shot out. The dark haired guy came flying through the debris of glass and landed with a loud thud on the top of some boxes I had in the back seat.

"Get in AJ!", he yelled, and another body came head first through the passenger window I had just opened. "Drive lady!" he yelled with a big gun in his right hand. Since he was not pointing it at me but out the window at the people shooting at my car I decided it might be prudent to do what he said. I threw the car into reverse, and my foot must have slipped, because I just kept right on backing up straight into the guys that were shooting at us! The blonds head, AJ, was digging into my thigh as he tried unsuccessfully to pull his legs into the car. I didn't help when I clutched and then found 1st. The tires threw gravel everywhere, peppering the bad guys (how dare they shoot at me and my darling little unsexy car!) with rocks before the tires finally grabbed hold and shot us out of the tiny parking lot and onto the street.

I spent a lot of time abusing the poor engine in 2nd, taking fast turns and driving like a maniac. I'm forever grateful nobody was walking across the road while I was doing something so incredibly stupid. It was fun, but oh so dangerous. God, it would have killed me if I had hit a kid or something, but then again, I would be dead if those guys I sprayed with gravel caught me. I said a prayer and kept driving stupid.

"Have we lost them Rick?" came a muffled voice somewhere from the floorboard of the passenger seat.

"I think so." returned a voice from somewhere in the vicinity of the backseat. The wind was blowing in through the front windows I had opened and out the shot out back window like a mini tornado, whipping my hair into my face, stinging my eyes. My heart pounded with the adrenaline I remembered from my youth.

"What!" shrieked the voice from the floorboards. The struggle renewed to right himself in his seat. I became aware of just how small my big car really was.

"I THINK SO!" My ears rang. At this point, Rick was sitting between the seats scanning forwards.

I checked the mirrors and did a quick scan myself. "We're coming up on National City Boulevard. What do you want me to do?"

The blond had finally righted himself in his seat and I noticed he shot a glare at his friend. "That is the last time I do anything for a friend of your friend Carlos!" he quipped mysteriously, "We're not even getting paid!"

"What do you mean? He pays us! Didn't he help us out with all of that electronic equipment on that paraplegic case! He got us…"

"He nearly got us killed!"

"That was nothing. We've been through worse than that!"

"I want your boat out of my yard!"

"Guys," I said calmly, through my teeth. "Which way?"

Immediately the blond calmed down. "I'm sorry. Left. My name is AJ, AJ Simon. This here is my brother" I noticed a bit of a growl creeping into his voice, "Rick."

"Hi, how ya doing" came a now pleasant voice from the back seat. Wow these guys could change in an instant!

"I'll let you know when the adrenaline wears off." I growled back.

Rick gave a quick laugh from the back seat and leaned back to look out my poor shot out window. If it was unsexy before, my wonderfully serviceable car was probably really ugly now.

AJ said, "Now take a right. Another right. Do you mind parking for a minute? We're not going to hurt you." I knew that, but I felt it was better not letting him know it quite yet.

"What is it you want?" I asked while searching for a place to pull over.

Rick hopped out of the car, using the door this time, and began walking around my car.

AJ turned to face me. He had a sweet face. It made me mad. "I'm sorry we got you into all this…" he started.

"Sorry," I interrupted, "Thanks, I appreciate that, but it does not solve the problem of my windows does it?" I lifted my eyebrows and glared. The jerk smiled! "What!"

"You remind me of someone. Sorry."

"Is sorry all you can say?"

"If you would let me get a word in edgewise!" his voice rose in controlled anger. Good, I was pissing him off as much as I was!

"I'm waiting!" I retorted.

"We will pay for the damage."

"You better. I didn't ask for this…"

"And we're grateful. Where did you learn to drive like that?"

The abrupt change of subject was disarming. "Like what?"

"Like Richard Petty on a last lap." He smiled and I had to look away or I would laugh. Boy, he had a charm.

A shrill whistle came from outside the car, which immediately drew his brother's attention. For all their bickering, these two certainly knew how to work together. They were attuned to each other's every nuance. Funny. I never had a sibling, but if I had, I wished I could have had a relationship like these two had.

"Trouble?" AJ asked.

"We need to get moving." Rick replied, hopping into the car.

I didn't ask questions; I just pulled into the first opening in traffic I could find and tried to blend in.

"What is it?"

"Two men, black caddy, I recognized one. Has a black eye." He added smugly.

"They see you?"

"I don't think so, but this car is pretty recognizable now with all the holes in it."

"WHAT!" So much for just a shot out window. What twist of fate brought me together with these two? And how did I get rid of them…


	2. Chapter 2

After driving around and dropping Rick off to pick up his truck, AJ rode with me back to my place. Rick followed. We never saw that black caddy after Rick spotted it. I was grateful for small favors.

I was not grateful when I got the first real glimpse of my car. The taillights were shot out and a row of holes went through the trunk and out the side panel. One had lodged in one of my boxes, breaking the glass inside. Rick was wise; he stayed in his truck smoking a cigarette. AJ however seemed to want to make it better by getting my mind off my car.

"Is this your apartment complex? It's nice. Do you want me to walk you up?" One look at my eyes and he added, "or not. Look we will pay for the repairs." I guess the car was a safer subject. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, finding a business card. "You can reach us here." He reached for a very small pencil in his jacket pocket and added another address in an area I recognized not too far from here. "This is my home address and phone number. Send the bill here and we'll take care of it."

"I will. Goodbye." I said with finality, walking angrily up the walkway to my apartment. I put the key in the door and looked back one more time at my poor little car only to notice AJ had not moved. That just pissed me off even more because he was probably staring at my body. Darn it, don't men understand I have a mind as well?

I opened my door and huffed in, angry that I had not been able to avoid the trouble I learned to evade in my youth. Now my poor little car bore the scars of my failure. I tossed the keys in the bowl I kept by the door and reached for the light switch. I never saw the fist that hit me.

* * *

AJ opened the door to his house and walked into the kitchen. He went immediately to the fridge and pulled out two beers, one for himself, one for his brother who took it to the living room, dumping his gun belt and hat on the bar on the way. 

"You know, we never got her name."

"Some detective you are." Rick smiled. They'd been here before. She sure was a looker, yes, but she had quite a bit of spirit as well. He liked that. He didn't miss how much AJ liked it too.

"Well, if you hadn't promised Carlos…"

"Don't start on me, AJ." Rick sighed into his beer.

AJ was silent for a moment and then took a swig from his bottle. "Alright. What have we got."

"Lucky Larinowasky wasn't so lucky when he promised to move that moonshine for Mr. Smith."

"It was supposed to be a small time operation. How did the big guns get involved?"

"Not so legal an operation either. And how do we get Lucky off the hook?"

"Well, they weren't willing to listen to reason…"

Rick snorted and took the last draw from his bottle. He got up and returned to the refrigerator for another. He opened two and deposited one in front of his brother.

AJ glanced at him and muttered a quick thanks.

"She sure was a looker wasn't she?"

"What!" AJ stared at his brother.

"She could drive too."

AJ glared at his brother. "Yeah, and thanks to your pro bono work for Carlos, now we have to pay to repair her car out of our own pockets! Did you hear that? OUR pockets. Not mine."

Rick just looked at his brother. Somehow it would work out. That was AJ's forte, money, not his. The best strategy now was to just ignore his little brother's comments. _Maybe he'd forget. Fat chance_. Rick grinned at his own thoughts. "Yeah, well, I'm done in. I'm going to bed." He dumped his bottle in the trash on his way to the door.

"Yeah, I'll forward the bill to you when she sends it." AJ called over the couch.

"What _was_ her name?" Rick asked on his way out the door. He knew it would annoy his brother all night that he had forgotten to get her name and he asked it just to get him riled up before he left. AJ turned and glared at him. Rick smiled and shut the door slowly. "Night." He called out sweetly as he left.

AJ turned around on the couch and addressed his second beer. A small smile played on his lips for a moment and he shook his head and gave a light laugh as he quickly finished off the beer. "Well, I am a detective. I'll just do some detecting." He turned off the lights, locked up and headed off to bed himself. A shower would be in order to help him sleep.

* * *

Two days passed with no word from whatever her name was. Granted they had been on stakeout following Lucky around on his liquor delivery rounds. Most of them were perfectly legal and nobody messed with him. He didn't deliver moonshine but for every two weeks. Funny how some people just fell in love with that stuff and would pay big bucks to enjoy it with their friends. 

Lucky had called saying the thugs had put the pressure on him to give up his source so they could "increase distribution" and told him to think about it before more negotiations occurred. He only agreed to complete his routes when the detectives assured him that they would watch him every second of the day. So far nothing had occurred.

As they followed him in the truck they discussed the finer points of just dropping the case or getting in deeper.

"The bills are growing."

"I know AJ." Rick was quiet for a moment before adding, "What I don't get is why all the thugs for 'shine. I've had it before, good 'shine is good, but not worth all this."

"There's money in it, if made right."

Rick grunted. "Had a buddy, went into the business for himself for a while. Almost killed himself."

"Still blow up?"

"No. Made methanol, not ethanol. He cut corners and ended up in the hospital for weeks."

"No kidding?" AJ asked in suprise.

"Get this, know how they treated him?"

"Knowing your friends, with two armed guards at all times…"

Rick laughed and blew some smoke out of the window. "Nah, he got to be drunk for days. They gave him his 'shine in his IV. He had one hell of a hangover once they saved his life."

"Really! Imagine being drunk for days on end…" AJ said sardonically.

"Blew out his liver though. His life was never the same. He died a few years later."

"Oh." AJ looked out the window for a second. Dangerous stuff.

"That's why Lucky doesn't want to give up his source. He knows his guy's safe, but these guys, they cut corners. Who knows who they might kill distributing the wrong stuff?"

"Then maybe we should just take this to 'town and let the police take over." AJ mused.

"I've been thinking the same thing."

"What about Lucky?"

"Somehow we have to get him out of this before we get 'town involved. Carlos would never talk to me again if I let his buddy down."

"Really?" AJ asked with hope in his voice.

"AJ," Rick said warningly. "We are not going to sell out Lucky. These thugs get wind of the police and Lucky'll wind up dead. You don't want that on your conscious now do you?"

"No." AJ said with some disappointment. "Lucky is going to have to vanish for a few weeks."

"Ricardo and Eddy?"

"Sure, why not?" AJ replied with a smile.

Rick pulled up to talk with Lucky on the next stop and shortly thereafter Lucky's truck was found abandoned by two men in a black caddy.


	3. Chapter 3

AJ was pacing the office going through various files and checking the mail. They were catching up on the day-to-day chores of the office now that Lucky was stashed safely away with Carlos's cousin across the border for the time being. The whole case was bothering him. They were set to meet with Downtown Brown later on this afternoon to discuss where they had gotten so far. He would be content to give the whole thing over to the police and go on to a paying client. Speaking of, where was that bill…?

"Rick?"

"Hum?"

"Have you seen the bill from that girl?"

"Nooo." Rick smiled at his younger brother, thrilled that a bill had not been presented to him yet.

"Any messages on the machine?"

"No." Rick shook his head and raised his eyebrows while lighting a cigar.

AJ looked concerned. "You would think that the way she was acting, she would have gotten that to us right away."

"You'd think." Rick could care less whether the bill ever came, but his instincts did start to tingle a little with the way his brother was talking. He slowly let out a puff from his cigar. He asked a little reluctantly. "You want to stop by and see if she's got it ready yet?"

AJ thought he'd never ask.

"I'll drive." Rick said, resigned.

* * *

They looked at each other with a sense of alarm. The car hadn't moved since they had dropped her off on Tuesday. It was now Friday.

"Do you remember her apartment?" Rick asked.

"I think so." AJ replied.

They walked up in silence.

"Maybe she just went to stay with family or something."

"Maybe." AJ replied. He knocked forcefully on the door and it slid open on its own. He flashed a look at his brother. "Maybe not."

"Mmm." Rick replied. He thought about pulling his gun, but settled for releasing the catch and the safety – just in case.They walked in slowly, taking in all the details as quickly as possible. The carpet was plush, with signs of vacuum marks in the corners. She was a clean, detail type person. Everything in its place. _She'd drive me nuts_, Rick decided.

"AJ, look at the floor."

"I've noticed."

There were three different sized footprints imprinted on the pile of the carpet and what looked to be the imprint of a body near the door. Faint, but noticeable to a trained eye. The keys were in a bowl on a desk near the entry door. The bowl had been pushed across the desk about 18 inches leaving a streak through some light dust.

"Something's happened to her." AJ said, worry straining his voice.

"Let's find out who she is while we are here." Rick replied, in a no-nonsense, big brother mode now. She may or may not have been taken because of them, and they sure as hell were going to find out.

* * *

I awoke this time to darkness and the smell of garlic. I like spaghetti as much as anyone else, but the smell and taste was overwhelming, and I could not get the gag out of my mouth no matter how much I tried. I knew I was going to have trouble with Italian foods from now on. My hands were tied, but my feet were free. I was cold and uncomfortable.

I was in the trunk of a car. They were moving me again. However, I didn't know who "they" were. For the most part they didn't let me see them, and they kept asking me to spill the details about my partners. I guess they meant the Simons. I told them I hadn't met the before today, yesterday? (whatever), and of course they didn't believe me.

I hadn't eaten in who knows how long. Every once in awhile this one guy would be kind enough to give me some water or a glass of wine. It would go straight to my head. Maybe it was drugged. I know that last glass was. I think he took a liking to me, but he was actually a little timid. He would even let me get up and go to the bathroom when the goons weren't around to harass me. I didn't have much to tell them, but they wanted details. I toyed with the idea of making up something, but thought that might get somebody else in trouble, so in the end, I just stuck with the truth and prayed a lot.

I wasn't going to just lay here alone in the trunk doing nothing. Since I couldn't do anything about the gag yet, I started messing with the ropes the bound my hands in front of me and that's when I caught my first break. Somehow, my numbed and cold fingers were able to loosen a knot enough to slip a loop and my hands were free! I immediately fumbled for the knots behind my head, but my hands were too cold. After I had shoved them under my armpits for a while they began to ache with returning feeling and warmth. Oh Lord, what was I going to do? Finally, I could get the nasty gag off of my face and could breath something besides garlic for a change.

I thought long and hard as to what I could do. Why in God's name didn't the manufacturers of cars put latches on the inside of trunks? This was insane to trap people like this. I got my knees under me and tried to look for a way out. Hard to do with all the twists and turns we took, but I tried anyways. Every once in awhile the lights from the brakes would light up the interior and I would get an eerie view of my jail. I came to the conclusion that I would have to wait until we stopped and see what happened. I flexed all my muscles to warm up the best I could until then, and fought the overwhelming fear that threatened to take my soul. I was all alone in this, with no family to look for me if anything went wrong, which it all had when I met those brothers! When I got away those boys were going to get an earful. I let out a deep sigh and smiled to myself. Thinking this way helped me focus my energy.

When we stopped this time there was only one set of footsteps. I didn't move, didn't breath. When the keys turned in the trunks lock I curled my fingers and flattened my palms. The light was blinding but when I saw the dude's nose I sprang out with my hand and drove my palm into it. It was a trick I learned shortly after I took to the streets. Nobody expects you to slap your hand up his nose. Hurts. Somebody told me that if you do it right and hard enough, you could kill 'em. Most of the time their nose just bleeds forever and they are down long enough for you to get away.

And that's just what I did. Or I tried. While he lay on the ground gagging and bleeding all over his white button down shirt, I ended up falling out of the trunk on my numbed feet and stumbling off to the side of the road where there was a large overgrown field.

I didn't count on anyone shooting at me! I was just reaching the safety of the tall grasses when I felta stinging burn go through me. I fell into the grass, scrambled about 10 feet before regaining my feet and then ran blindly again for a thousand years until I couldn't hear a thing anymore. At that point, I fell down next to a small creek and passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the reviews! Any feedback is helpful, and I enjoy the constructive criticism. Now that TV Land/Sleuth Channel are bringing back the show, I hope others will post as well! Enjoy...

All disclaimers apply, as usual. sigh

* * *

"Sorry guys. The departments stretched thin on the heroin and cocaine deals we've been investigatin'. I don't have anyone to put on a possible moonshine case for months. And as for the girl, you are going to have to file a missing person's report."

"Come on Town." Rick started angrily.

"Town, you know there is more to this than meets the eye!" AJ responded at the same time.

Town was testy and more than frustrated when he responded. "There might be more, AJ, but I don't have the time or the manpower to find out what it is right now! You two come waltzing in here with possibilities and maybes but nothing solid to go on…"

"AJ and I were shot at! Polly Linsky was kidnapped for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and helping us! You can't tell us that is not solid Town!" Rick yelled back at the solid but lanky black man.

"How do you know she was kidnapped and did not decide to go visit her family for the weekend? Huh? Or go out with her friends? And why wasn't the shooting reported?"

"It wasn't?" AJ shot back in all innocence, playing it up to the fullest.

"Don't you play innocent with me! You know the procedures!" Their wise friend retorted.

"I don't know why it wasn't reported Town," AJ replied, dropping the act, "but Rick is right, this girl did not go out visiting. There are signs of a struggle in her apartment, and she did not follow up with us, or the police, on her car. We can't figure out why anybody would have taken her, or how all this works together and that is why we came to you. We need your help. Please Town!" AJ refused to drop eye contact, knowing the power of communication that was held in the eyes.

Rick stood and looked at his overworked friend on the police force, adding his nonverbal communication. They knew what they were asking. Downtown Brown gave more than his fair share to his job and his community. He was already maxed out, and they were adding to the burden. If it weren't so important, if they did not feel Polly's life was on the line, they would have dropped it. But they had to find the girl. She had helped them, and now they owed her.

Town glared at AJ for a full minute, the silence deafening. His eyes moved from eye to eye to the set of mouth. Rick was visible in Town's peripheral vision. Not one of them moved during this crucial moment while all mulled the importance of what was being decided. He made the first move.

"Ok, but you owe me. Big. I still don't have anyone to put on this case, but I can give you some time. Hold on a minute." Tension fell as the three let go of their animosity. Rick relaxed back down in his chair. Town picked up the phone and made a few calls to arrange his men on stakeouts. Finally, almost half an hour later he said, "Alright, now tell me again why were you at The Beach Side Bar?"

"Carlos had asked Rick to help him with a friend…"

"Lucky," Rick interrupted and then tried to put his legs up on Town's desk. Town shot a hand out and effectively blocked Rick's attempt. AJ smothered a smile and went on.

"Lucky he wasn't. These two men, John and Ray, alias's I assume, were harassing him. Carlos asked us to help put an end to the harassment."

"Carlos is paying you to help Lucky or is Lucky paying?"

"No. Lucky is getting a favor. He paid earlier." Rick replied cryptically. He continued.

"Anyways, we set up a meeting with these two thugs to tell them to back off. We had just gotten to the point of telling them that it would be a good idea to keep to their own…"

"A fight broke out." Town added knowingly.

Rick smiled and continued, "When they pulled a gun. We hadn't planned for that turn of events so we implemented evasive measures."

"You ran?"

"We ran." Rick smiled at Town's insight into his attempt to talk up his actions. "John threw AJ over the waitress's car and Ray shot out her window. That's when I thought it would be a good idea to hitch a ride and get her outta there. I went in the back window and AJ the passenger window. Boy she could drive couldn't she AJ? She backed right into those guys and then sprayed them with gravel before taking off.

"She didn't have any idea who we were, but she helped us get away. Then she dropped me off to get my car, we drove her to her apartment and AJ put the moves on her…"

"Hey!"

Rick smiled knowingly. "You didn't get very far…"

AJ stammered, "I did not. I mean, she got my number." With that statement Rick snorted and AJ turned red. AJ's jaw tensed and a muscle ticked.

"He's just upset he couldn't get very far. She was a looker."

Town smiled at the boy's antics.

AJ got serious. "She was abducted. Possibly because of us. We've got to find her Rick."

That wiped the smile off of Rick's face. AJ looked to Town for assistance.

"Here's what I can do. We can get ballistics from the car and I'm going to send a man over to sweep the apartment for prints. I take it we will be finding yours?"

"Ah, yes…" Rick adjusted himself in his seat.

"Why?"

"Ask AJ." Rick deferred.

AJ shot Rick a dirty look of panic. "Uh, that doesn't matter. What I want to know..."

"No, AJ," Town said, sensing a good story, "Tell me why."

"I didn't" the rest was lost in muttering.

"What was that?"

"He didn't get her name!" Rick helpfully supplied.

"You didn't get her name! I thought you told me her name was Polly Linsky? Oh, I see…had to do a little investigation on the side since your brother's shy? Humm?" Laughing brown eyes looked at Rick slyly. Detective Brown was enjoying this one now.

"I am not shy!" AJ shot out in defense.

"Found it on the phone bill." Rick supplied.

"Oh really?"

"It was sitting nice and neat on the bar in the kitchen. Her checkbook was there as well. Confirmed her name. My prints will be in that area."

"Mummm."

Rick stood up and AJ glared at him. "You'll let us know if anything comes of the sweep?"

"Oh yeah. I'm here at your beck and call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Never a day goes by…"

"Well Town, that's one we owe you…"

"One?" Town's eyebrows rose.

AJ joined his brother at the door. In a last ditch effort to get the focus off of himself he added professionally, "In the meantime, we will see what, if anything we can get on John and Ray."

"Maybe you could start with their real names." Town tossed out. Rick started laughing.

AJ pushed him out and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

When I came to my senses and actually realized what I was doing, I was walking. It seemed like a pretty good idea, so I kept at it. Somehow, I had gotten away, but I didn't remember much of anything – except garlic. For some reason I felt like I had been chased by giant cloves of garlic through my dreams. I could still smell it. Good God, if one was going to hallucinate you would think I could do better than garlic! 

I think I had rinsed my mouth with some of the creek water, which would explain the residual nasty taste. My left arm and side hurt something awful. I tried not to think of it. I knew if I looked at it I would pass out from the fear and the pain, so I didn't. It was hot and I was thirsty. The air was dry but very active. The wind never let up. Clouds passed quickly over the sun alternating the suns blinding heat and the temporary relief of the clouds shade. Never had I felt so alone and so afraid. They say there are no atheists in foxholes and I guess I know why now. There was nothing left for me to do but pray and walk and hope to God somebody would find me that was not one of the bad guys.

The wind blew the trees around me as I struggled up a small embankment. I held my left arm close to my aching ribs and used my right arm to grab onto a handy vine to pull myself up. I gritted my teeth as a stabbing pain shot through my chest and as I came to the top of the knoll I gave up and sat down in exhaustion and defeat.

Funny when I finally sat down, I got so cold. I tried to stand back up but I just couldn't. I stared at my feet as an ant struggled with a dead bug twice his size. First he would carry it, but it would get caught on the broken needles that had been crushed by tires passing on the dirt path. Then the ant would try to drag it over the needles, only for the legs of the dead bug to get caught on something, making the poor ants burden ten times heavier. I tried to help him once, but the little thing panicked so badly he didn't know what to do, so I finally just left him alone and watched.

I was too tired to be afraid of the awful racket that was coming down the path. I looked up when the car stopped by me and someone got out. A toothless grin was hastily replaced with a spattering of excited chatter in Spanish. A canteen of warm water was placed in my hands and I drank! I couldn't understand a word he spoke, but when a warm blanket was placed around me and gentle hands helped me into a rickety old car, I knew I had just met an angel.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry this is slow going, but spring is here! Spring break, illnesses, alas it stifles the creative flow. Anyways. Hope this is found to be in favor...

* * *

With Miguel and Carmen's help I found what I hoped was AJ's house. They were great. I didn't understand much of what they said, nor they I, but we communicated great. Carmen must have been a doctor or a nurse in Mexico because she did a bang up job of bandaging my left arm and my ribs. My arm must have been in front of me or behind me or something when that jerk shot me. The bullet hit between the bottom ribs and went through the back of my left arm. The tricep I think it's called. Carmen cut up part of the blanket and tied my arm to my chest and it helped a great deal. They shared their food and water and with a lot of gestures and smiles we managed to figure out a way to get me back to civilization. I suspected they would not be comfortable with a police station, and I was not comfortable with going back to my apartment, which is how we ended up here.

I remembered the address AJ had written down when he had offered to pay for my cars repairs. It was a nice house. All the houses backed up to various canals and there were bridges that went back and forth over the canals at intervals. All in all it was a nice little neighborhood.

Miguel's car drew a few glances, but I think that was for the lack of a muffler and the raunchy noise it made. That and the piles of rust it left at various intervals. Carmen and Miguel gestured back and forth again with me indicating the two-story house with a boat parked nearby. There was a great debate as to whether it was decent to leave a girl in my condition here without a large family rushing out to care for her I assume. I assured them (I hoped) that thanks to their help I would be fine. I was feeling a great deal better, even though I was still tired. I guess the couple thought the home was mine for with a smile and a shrug (Carmen smiled, Miguel shrugged) and a great deal of noise, my angels drove off, leaving me with their blanket. I sincerely hoped it was not their only one.

For privacy, there was a gate and a fence leading to the main door. I pushed it open and walked down the walkway, hoping I was not making a huge mistake. These guys almost got me killed. They ruined my car. Because of their recklessness, I couldn't go home to my apartment. If I could think of anywhere else to turn, I would. There was a ships bell hanging by the door. I took a deep breath and rang it. I waited for a few minutes. Nothing. I rang it again. It was loud and annoying – typical. Still nothing. Couldn't see anything through the stained glass of the door so I looked in the kitchen window and tried the door. Locked. Great. Now what? I pulled the blanket around myself and took yet another deep breath. It hurt. I could feel the giddiness of exhaustion settling in once more.

There had been a truck parked out front. Surely someone was around. I decided to go look at the boat. But I was so tired. Instead I sat down for a minute on the front stoop and that's where they found me who knows how long later.

* * *

The two detectives pulled up in front of the house in the Camero, one in stony silence, the other relaxed with his feet hanging out the window smoking a cigar. Rick knew when to push it and when to shut up, and for the moment, he was enjoying the upper hand. 

The garage was taken up with the '57 and some boxes and just for kicks, a boxing bag, so AJ had taken to parking the Camero outside and coming into the house through the kitchen. Rick got out and started inside while AJlingered to lock up the car.Rick paused when he noticed the dark figure slumped on the doorstep. He wasn't sure if it was alive or dead.

"AJ!" He whispered, immediately bringing his brother into alert. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. He noticed nothing out of the ordinary, no signs of struggle, no bloodstains. AJ was moving in behind him so Rick quickly but cautiously went over to the person on the stoop. He was surprised toidentify the unconscious figure as the missing girl!

"Polly?" Rick reached out and with his right arm and firmly shook her arm. The woman took a sharp intake of breath, opened her eyes, screamed and immediately shot her palm out straight out at his nose. Blinding pain shot through his face as he fell backwards. He covered his face with his hands as AJ came up to calm Polly who was struggling to figure out where she was and how to get away. Rick's hands came away covered with blood. He said incredulously, "She broke my nose!"

"Won't be the first time your nose was broken. Hey, stop it! You're OK." AJ stood back while the missing woman struggled to her feet. He could see awareness return to her eyes. She was filthy. Her hair, while still tied back, was lank, oily and matted. She was still in the same clothes she had worn the day he had met her. Her arm was tied to her side with part of the blanket she had around her shoulders. AJ smiled his most charming, yet assured smile, reached out a hand without touching her and repeated himself. "You're OK. Do you want to come in, Polly?"

"Polly?"

"Aren't you Polly Linsky?"

"Where did you get that from?" She asked.

"Well, when we didn't hear from you, we got a little worried and we checked up on you. We went to the police after searching your apartment."

"You searched my apartment?"

"Well…" AJ looked uncomfortable.

Rick came to his brother's rescue from the scrawny bushes near the fence. "The door was open."

"They left the door open?"

"They?" AJ, ever the detective, asked as he helped Rick up. He glanced distractedly at the blood on his hand and then at his brother's nose. A small smile danced on his lips as he remembered the razing he took that afternoon to be smoothly erased before he turned to face the girl again. Rick noticed the smile too and returned it with a show of teeth at AJ's back.

"A couple of guys." She winced and leaned back against the doorframe.

"You're hurt Polly?" Rick asked.

She nodded and added, "My name isn't Polly though. It's Leigh. Nobody has called me Polly since I was a little girl."

AJ leaned past her with the keys and said, "Leigh then. Let's go inside and get you," he paused to look at the blood that was still seeping from his brother's nose, "The two of you, cleaned up and sort this whole mess out." With that he opened the door then reached for her good arm and guided her in through the kitchen and towards the couch. He figured Rick could find his own way to the towels and ice.

"What happened to your arm?"

"I was shot."

"Shot? Good Lord, we need to get you to the hospital!"

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not. I don't want to go to the expense. I don't have insurance and I don't have a lot of money. Carmen did a pretty good job of cleaning it up…"

"Carmen?"

"She and Miguel found me out in the middle of no where when I got away from the goons. They didn't speak any English. I think they might have been illegals, but to me they were angels. They helped me get here."

"How'd you get away?" AJ asked. Leigh looked at Rick who had a paper towel to catch the last of the blood seeping from his nostrils and was holding a bag of ice to his nose. "Same move?" AJ surmised.

Leigh nodded. Rick moved the bag down long enough to utter, "Effective." AJ noticed the beginning of raccoon eyes. He suppressed a smile unsuccessfully.

"Let's take a look at your arm." AJ offered.

"If it's all the same to you, what's going on? All these guys wanted to know was what my connection was to you two. I think I convinced them I had nothing to do with you; either that or they thought I wasn't going to tell them anything. They were going to kill me!" Leigh was angry, verging on hysterical.

Rick stood up and walked out to the kitchen while AJ moved over onto the couch and took a hold of Leigh's right arm

"Calm down! Leigh, calm down. I am sorry we brought you into this, whatever this is, and I will do everything in my power to get you out. Can you describe any of the men who took you?"

"No. I was blindfolded." Leigh tried to jerk her arm out of AJ's grip. He tightened his hold just enough to convey that this time he was not backing off, but so as to not intimidate, he softened his voice.

"What about the guy you hit? You weren't blindfolded then, were you?"

"I wasn't really paying attention. The sun blinded me. All I can tell you is that he was white. I think his hair was dark." He noticed that she relaxed just a hair, and he in turn relaxed his hold on her arm. He took in the stray pieces of grass in her hair, the bruising around her left eye, the dark circles of exhaustion underneath both eyes. There was dried blood on her shirt and her pants leg.

Rick came up just then with a snifter of brandy. "I think you need this." Leigh nodded in agreement.

"Just a little at a time." AJ helped her with the glass. "Do you think you can eat?"

"I ate. Not much, but it was enough for now." Leigh replied, taking the glass of brandy from AJ. She studied it in the light for a few moments while AJ studied her.

"AJ?" Rick caught his brother's eye. "I'm going to make a few phone calls. Check on a few people. Why don't you help her get cleaned up, clean up that wound? Then we can determine the next step."

"I think that's a good idea. Leigh?"

"I don't have anything…"

Rick stepped in with, "For tonight you can sleep in his pajama's," Leigh looked panicked for a moment and AJ quickly stepped in with "And in the morning one of us will go to your apartment for you for some of your clothes. Or better yet, to the store. In case someone is watching."

"Do you think they are still looking for me?"

"Maybe."

Leigh closed her eyes and collapsed into the couch. "Great." Unconsciously she relaxed into AJ's protective arm. "They are not high on my list of people I want to visit with again."

"They are mine." Rick growled under his breath.

"On that we are agreed."

Leigh opened her eyes and graced Rick with his first smile. It was well worth the wait, Rick thought. "Thanks." She whispered.

"We'll do everything in our power to make sure they'll never think about visiting you or anyone else for that matter."

Leigh glanced down, unaccustomed to having anyone care for her, unaccustomed to how good it felt. It scared her on some levels. It reminded her of the safety she felt when her dad was around. "You know, I'd like that." She graced them both with a smile again. "And, I think I could go for that shower now."

AJ smiled with her and stood up. He could see as soon as he did, it caused her pain. "Ah hey, I'm sorry. I think I have some aspirin, tylenol…"

Leigh finished off the brandy. "Let's see if this has any medicinal value first." She stood and fought a wave of nausea before looking to AJ to lead the way. "And I guess if we have to change the bandage, I could always bite a bullet. Isn't that what they did in the old west?"

Rick replied, "I think I could find one for you."

"You would." AJ threw over his shoulder as he led Leigh up the stairs. "Talk to Town, would you?


End file.
